Swim Trainer

ABSTRACT

The ability for a non-swimmer or unskilled swimmer to float horizontally in the water can be lifesaving and can reduce the incidence of drowning deaths. Swim training devices to facilitate teaching of basic flotation techniques to non-swimmers, unskilled swimmers, and for use in rehabilitation therapy and general aqua therapy are disclosed herein. The devices and methods are designed to encourage, facilitate, and increase psychological comfort with floating in a horizontal position, versus a vertical position. The swim trainer device includes a body and a float which may be mounted coplanar with the body, and may be adjustable. Multiple uses and configurations are discussed for use by swim instructors and others working with infants, toddlers, children, and adults.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the technical field of athletics andaqua-therapy training devices. More particularly, the present inventionis in the technical field of swim training for youths and adults,aqua-therapy aids for youths and adults, and water safety trainingdevices for youths and adults.

Existing devices in the same technical field (referred to “swimtrainers” for this document) have distinct design flaws in terms ofadjustability for different student/client body types or skill levels,positioning of the student or client during training which negativelyaffects the efficacy of training and leads to results which may notenable the trainee to properly swim on their own, ability for somestudents or clients to grip and manipulate the swim trainer whiletraining, and geometry to support a student or client as they progressin skill or recovery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a device to be used in swim training, exercise,and aqua-therapy by a wide variety of body types and sizes, irrespectiveof age or gender. It is designed to have various sizes within the samegeneral design (ex. “Small” for children, “Large” for adults), and to beadjustable by design within each specific size. It consists of a molded,extruded, or inflatable cross member, with two pass-through holes toallow a standard foam float tube (known in the market as a “poolnoodle”) to be inserted, completing the assembly. In essence, thisinvention may be seen as an accessory to the “pool noodle,” assemblingto create a much more useful device. The cross member may have featuresto allow for a trainee to lay more comfortably face up or face down, andwill include features to allow for hand holds on either end.Additionally, as a trainee progresses, or for different exercises duringaqua-therapy, the crossmember may be used without a standard foam floattube as a light kick board or saddle seat style float.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is ¾ view of the device of the present invention. (10)

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1 (10).

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1 (10).

FIG. 4 is a ¾ view of the device of FIG. 1, shown with standard foamfloat tube inserted, in dashed lines (10).

FIG. 5 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1, shown with standard foamfloat tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines (10).

FIG. 6 is a side view of the inflatable device of FIG. 1, shown withpool float standard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines (10).

FIG. 7 is a ¾ view of the inflatable device of FIG. 1 (10), shown withstandard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines, and face-upin-use human figure (30) shaded, for reference.

FIG. 8 is a ¾ view of the inflatable device of FIG. 1 (10), shown withstandard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines, and face-downin-use human figure (30) shaded for reference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 1 there is showna cross member (10) consisting of buoyant physical material, such asfoam, wood, etc., or buoyant construction, such as inflatable membraneor hollow shell filled with air or other buoyant physical material, suchthat the crossmember will float in water and maintain sufficientbuoyancy to support a human being appropriate to the size of the design.

In further detail, now referring to the invention of FIG. 1 and now FIG.2 and FIG. 3, the crossmember has two symmetrically positioned throughholes of an appropriate size to accommodate a standard foam pool floattube.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the crossmember (10) is shown from a ¾ viewwith a standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes,forming the complete assembly, with the positioning of the hand grips inthe crossmember, relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the crossmember (10) is shown from a top viewwith a standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes,further detailing the positioning required, forming the completeassembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember,relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the crossmember (10) is shown from a top viewwith a standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes,further detailing the positioning required, forming the completeassembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember,relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the crossmember (10) and standard foam floattube (20) inserted into the through holes forming the complete assembly,with positioning of a human figure (30) detailing the manner of use fora trainee in a face-down (prone) position, further detailing thepositioning required, forming the complete assembly, with thepositioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to thestandard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the crossmember (10) and standard foam floattube (20) inserted into the through holes forming the complete assembly,with positioning of a human figure (30) detailing the manner of use fora trainee in a face-up (supine) position, further detailing thepositioning required, forming the complete assembly, with thepositioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to thestandard foam float tube.

What is claimed is:
 1. A swim trainer comprising: an elongatedcylindrical body having two ends and two float mounts penetratingthrough the body; and an elongated float coupled to the body at each ofthe two float mounts, wherein the float penetrates the body at each ofthe two float mounts, wherein the body constrains the float in a“U”-shaped configuration coplanar with the body, and wherein the bodyseparates the float into a head section and two flank sections.
 2. Theswim trainer of claim 1, wherein the two float mounts are orientedperpendicular to a long axis of the body.
 3. The swim trainer of claim1, wherein the float is removably coupled to the body.
 4. The swimtrainer of claim 3, wherein the float is adjustably positioned withrespect to the body such that a head section length and a flank sectionlength are adjustable.
 5. The swim trainer of claim 1, wherein the bodycomprises a central support surface disposed between the two floatmounts.
 6. The swim trainer of claim 1, wherein the body comprises anarm support surface formed between each of the float mounts and theends.
 7. The swim trainer of claim 1, further comprising a grip formedat each end of the body.
 8. The swim trainer of claim 7, wherein eachgrip comprises a step.
 9. The swim trainer of claim 8, wherein each gripcomprises a plurality of steps.
 10. A swim trainer comprising: anelongated cylindrical body having a long axis; two float mounts, eachfloat mount comprising a hole penetrating through the body in adirection perpendicular to the long axis of the body; wherein each ofthe two float mounts is configured to receive a float, and wherein thefloat is retained by the float mounts in a configuration coplanar withthe body.
 11. The swim trainer of claim 10, further comprising a floatadjustably coupled to the body.
 12. A method of using a swim trainerhaving a body and a float comprising: entering a body of water holding aswim trainer; grasping the swim trainer; and rolling onto the swimtrainer wherein the buoyancy of the swim trainer facilitates support ofthe user in a horizontal position with respect to a surface of the bodyof water.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the grasping stepcomprises grasping each of two flank sections of the float with a bodyof the swim trainer against the back of the shoulders; and the rollingstep comprises lying supine on the swim trainer to float face-upward.14. The method of claim 13, further comprising resting the head on acentral support surface disposed on a body of the swim trainer.
 15. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the horizontal position is a prone position.16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step resting theforehead on a central support surface disposed on a body of the swimtrainer.